Question

what is the theme of the sonnet not marble nor the gilded minuments

Answer 1

In the sonnet, not marble nor the gilded monuments, the poet is trying to explain the power of time over mankind and importance of literature and his words over monuments. The poet says that people erect monuments to be remembered by the coming future generations but however the monuments and statues that they erected gets destroyed over a period of time. Thus, the poet tries to explain that nothing can surpass the power of literature and poems, wars and battles can destroy a person's creations like statues and monuments but the words of the poet's poetry would immortalize him and stays on till the day of judgement.